Pope Francis, a Jesuit Missionary with a Franciscan Touch

by Arnold De Villa
April 1, 2013
On March 3, 2013 Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio took over the leadership of the Catholic Church. It was the first time after so many centuries that a new Pope did not replace a dead one; the first time that a Pope came from the “New World” (Americas, Argentina to be exact) and the very first time that a Jesuit would finally lead the entirety of the Roman Catholic Church. This latter portion sounded like poetic justice, since the Jesuit Order was formed and founded with a special vow of obedience to the Pope at that time.
Before I entered the Dominican Order, during the early years of Pope John Paul II, I tried to enlist myself with the Jesuits. They told me to think about it, finish College first and then come back. Since I was impatient, I ended up with the Dominicans and became a short lived missionary. It has been some time that I have left the Religious life, but I have not abandoned the folds of the Catholic faith.
The election of Cardinal Bergoglio to become the Cardinal of Rome, with an assumed name of Pope Cardinal Francis, has deep significance within ecclesiastical history and global politics as it has a huge impact for devout Catholics all over the world. Most secular journalists have categorized Pope Francis as “conservative”, as someone who shuns the opulence of the Vatican City and someone who prefers the simplicity and humility of common folks. Hence, the name “Francis”, in honor of the Saint who deliberately gave up the benefits of a well to do family in lieu of poverty as a tool for an active Apostolic life. However, “Francis” could also be in honor of Francis Xavier, a Jesuit missionary who led intensive missions in Asia, most notably in India.
The current affairs of the Roman Catholic Church both require a new sense of humility and a renewed missionary spirit. It is not in the US Catholic Church alone that sexual abuses among the clergy have been rampant. Europe has its own shares. Asia kept quiet. While it is true that there is a surge of Catholic believers in some continents, Catholics are gradually diminishing from the Old World as secular values take over Catholic tradition. Pope Francis is expected to address this and more.
And what is expected of the Catholics? As usual, and as always, the common thought is that going to Church on a Sunday suffices. Following tradition is enough. And sharing with Parroquial expenses through the weekly envelope is the same as being active. For some non-Catholics, Catholics have been deemed as “conservatives”, a perception that we are numb to social issues, indifferent to political matters and evasive of controversies. There are some Catholics in the third world still buried in the animistic world view of faux spirituality embedded within Catholic beliefs. With all these and others we might not be aware of it, is no wonder that some intellectual speculators ask whether being a Catholic is still relevant.
The same question extends to the role of the Pope. As a Jesuit, Pope Francis is not at all conservative. Considered as left wing radicals, there was a time in history when Jesuits were in fact shut down and dismantled because of political implications. As a Cardinal of Buenos Aires, Pope Francis had his own share of conflicts with the politburo. And although Pope Francis is against gay marriage, I do not agree that this makes him a conservative.
In any set of beliefs, there are certain matters that are non-negotiable. There are doctrines and dogma specific to any faith that cannot be modified lest they contradict the very essence of those beliefs. Such matters cannot be disguised in verbal semantics or wrapped as human rights issue. In so far as the essential tenets of the Catholic Faith are held as the basis for confronting doubts and controversies, it is no longer a question of being conservative or radical. For whatever reason, Journalists who cater to sensationalist techniques will try to force the issue and box anyone within stereotypical parameters of being to the left or to the right.
Pope Francis is definitely mired in complicated matters that most of the non-Catholic world will eagerly wait for to watch and to see. They will look at what is different, what is new, what is innovative and what is breaking from the past as if all these were accurate bench marks for progress and development. So now the question is, can we remain the same and be progressive? After all, what does abstinence from meat have to do with Good Friday?
Pope Francis, a child of blue collar working immigrants, know what it is to grow up without material abundance. And as his life depicts, the best way he fought against material extravagance was to live a simple life, taking public transportation instead of using a private limousine, for example. The Catholic Church still maintains an excessive amount of real estate property all over the world that it does not need or is necessary for their evangelical missions. Perhaps this Pope would do something to reduce if not eradicate the imbalanced distribution of resources even within the Catholic Structure.
For some reason or another, it seems that Catholics have also been trapped into a misconception that being a Catholic is basically liturgical and traditional to the extent that we forget the reality that Catholics are Christians and that Christianity should always be above any doctrine or tradition.
By the time this article reaches my readers, we will have passed Easter Sunday. Here in America, the commercialization of Easter egg hunts and Easter Brunches have successfully entwined Christian faith with childish play and lucrative business. Is there a way to reconcile candies with Christianity? If logic dictates any rational possibility, then it should probably be emphasized that the Easter Bunny and Egg hunting practices are completely pagan and do not have anything to do with the Christian faith. Let those who want to play continue playing, but I hope we stop using our faith as a tool for marketing exploits.
Pope Francis, elected a Pope on 03-03-13 as Pope Benedict resigned on the last day of February, formerly the last day of the year, is even seen by numerologists on a different light. I tend to agree that the numbers around the circumstances are odd. That is all and that is it.
While we begin another liturgical year, as the cycle of new Readings are read to us in Church, as a new Pope takes over the helm of leading our Church, I think Catholics need to revisit their Parish and see if there is anything more to do than just a regular Sunday attendance. The Church is not a social vehicle although the Church is a social community. The Church is not a medium for any political ideology and should not be unless such ideology interferes or intervenes with Christian faith. The new Pope will lead. Catholics will have to follow.